(Crankers) The NFL hoped that its rule change would enhance safety on the field for its players and instill a new dose of excitement into the game, only to find controversy and criticism from none other than Donald Trump. He publicly slammed the rule and stirred a football/political controversy.
Trump became the first sitting president since Jimmy Carter in 1978 to attend a regular-season NFL game when he watched the Washington Commanders face the Detroit Lions. Two days after the game, he appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and sharply criticized the league’s updated kickoff format, which owners voted to make permanent this year.
The rule places the ball at the 35-yard line for the kickoff while requiring all players on the kicking team to remain at the 40 until the ball either touches the ground or is fielded by a returner inside the 20-yard zone. Additional guidelines determine outcomes when the ball fails to reach the landing zone, bounces in it, or enters the end zone.
“I think it’s terrible. I think it’s demeaning, and I think it hurts the game,” Trump said, adding that he had shared his concerns directly with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Trump argued that the adjustments do not substantially improve player safety because collisions still occur on the play.
The league has maintained that the new system reduces high-speed impacts while increasing the percentage of meaningful returns. Toub, who has coached special teams in Chicago and Kansas City for more than two decades and oversaw the unit during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, pushed back strongly against Trump’s assessment during the media availability.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule,” Toub said, raising his voice more than usual. “So take that for what it’s worth. And I really hope he hears every word.”
Whether or not the president’s critique will influence the league’s decisions in the future remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Toub’s comments have been heard, loud and clear – but nothing changes the fact that the Chiefs got destroyed by the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
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